Emergency-brake for tramway-cars.



No, 708,734. Patnted Sept. 9, I902. 0. REAL.

EMERGENCY BRAKE FOR TBANIWAY CARS.

(Applibmtion filed May 29, 1902.

(No Model.)

Ev vnvia R. W1 f/VfiffF ATTJRNjJ J UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL REAL, OF SCHWVYZ, SWITZERLAND.

EM ERG ENCY-BRAKE FOR TRAMWAY-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters IPatent No. 708,734, dated September 9, 1902.

Application filed May 29, 1902. Serial No. 109,449. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL REAL, a citizen of Switzerland, residing in Schwyz, in the canton of Schwyz, Republic of Switzerland, (whose post-office address is Schwyz,) have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Emergency-Brakes for Tramway- Gars; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

I have applied for patents in the following, countries: Application in Switzerland on November 19, 1901; application in Austria on March 15, 1902; application in Germany on March 19, 1902; application in France on April 25, 1902; application in Belgium on April 28, 1902; application in Great Britain on April 29, 1902.

This invention relates to aspare or emergency brake for tramway-cars. The distinguishing feature of this brake is that on the necessity for braking arising one or more brake-beams are lowered from the vehicle,

' which beams are provided with grippers or such like arrangement, so that these anchor themselves into the roadway, and thus bring the conveyance to a stand within a very short distance. The arrangement of the brakingbeam on the vehicle is of such a kind that not only the momentum of the conveyance, but also its weight, is applied in order to increase the efficiency of the brake.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of the under frame of a tramwayoar equipped with the emergency-brake. Fig. 2 is a side view in which the parts which do not relate to the invention are omitted. Fig. 3 shows a further means of carrying out the invention.

In the example shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a plate 6 is fastened to the under frame a b of the car by means of flanges or plates 0, projecting from said plate, a U-shaped beam cl and suitable olampingbolts being passed through the U-shaped beam 01 and flange c. The plate carries two bolts g, provided with rollers f and abearing-bolt g. Between the latter there is fastened a brake-beam 2', provided with a gripper h, which beam 41 can be raised and lowered by means of a chain is, wound around a roller Z, which is supported on the underframe and capable of being turned. On the shaft m of the roller Z is secured a catch-lever n, which abuts against the arm 0 of a bell-crank lever o p, which latter is capable of being turned on the plummer-block support q of the shaft "m. From the arm 19 a wire rope or other pull o is led over a roller 1 to the driver-platform and ends there with a hand-grip s in a tube t. Another rope or pulling device it extends from the arm 0 to the other driving-platform of the v car. During the journey the brake-beam tis normally held in raised position. On desiring to apply the brake the arm 0 of the bellcrank lever o pis lifted up by the driver pulling the wire rope orother drawing means 11, 2),- vso that the arm 0 is freed from the catch-lever n, whereupon the brake-beam tslips down by its own weight to the roadway. (See position of brake-beam in the drawings.) The momentum of the vehicle now impels the underframe onto the sloping part of the brakingbeam 2, whereby the latter. iscaught and fixed between therollers f and is loaded with a part of theweight of the vehicle as the latter tends to ride up the inclined beam 2', so that the gripper h buries itself deeply in the roadway. The braking action brought about by this method is of such effect that the vehicle is brought to a standstill within quite a short distance even on steep gradients. After use the brake can be again wound up to its elevated position by winding the chain 75 onto the roller Z. It is evident that such an arrangement can be placed on both sides of the vehicle if such is preferred, or, as in the example shown, one brake may be arranged in the middle of the vehicle-body.

In the method of carrying out the invention according to Fig. 3 the braking-beam is hung vertically, and an arrangement for lowering and raising the brake is provided similar to that shown in the method already de scribed. The beam 7 is lowered either to right or left, according to the direction in which the vehicle is traveling, and by this means an anchoring of the vehicle in the roadway is effected.

I claim- 1. An emergency-brake for tramway-cars comprising a brake beam, provided with means for gripping the roadway, and capable of being lowered from the drivers platform, said brake being fitted between two or more bolts secured to the underframe of the car in such a manner that the brake-beam, when released, is capable of fastening itself into the roadway so that as the vehicle tends to ride up the inclined part of the brake-beam, thereby causing the weight of the car to assist the braking action.

May, 1902.

CARL REAL. Witnesses:

A. LIEBERKNECIIT, HERMANN HUBER. 

